Pretty Things
by Snarfin
Summary: When Blaine found out what Kurt does, he just wanted to help. He couldn't imagine anyone to be so desperate to do...that. Warning for underage prostitution.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Blaine takes a deep breath, as he steps into a public school for the first time in a year. _You can do this, _he said to himself. Cooper told him to make friends, join some extra-curricular activities and he would be fine. Blaine misses his friends. He misses his parents too.

He found his locker when he heard the magic words. Glee Club. "We can get our glee club to nationals this year. We just need one more member and we can stay in the competition-"

"Excuse me." Blaine said. The girl looked annoyed at being interrupted. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, but I couldn't help but overhear that you're in glee club, and you need members."

The boy next to her looked hopeful. "Yeah. Would you be interested?"

"I would, actually. I was in the Warblers. I believe you guys competed against us."

The girl looked suspicious. "If you were in the Warblers, what are you doing here, are you spy-"

The boy cut her off. "We'd be glad to have you. Just come by after school and you can audition."

"Thanks. I'd love to." Blaine told them. The girl narrowed her eyes at them, and stocked off.

"Sorry about that," the boy said. "We had a bad experience with a spy last year, and some stuff happened. But I want to give you a chance. I'm Finn, and that girl was Rachel." Finn stuck out a hand.

Blaine took it. "I'm Blaine."

"Well, Blaine, welcome to Mckinley."

On his way to lunch Blaine saw the most beautiful boy. Being the teenager he was, he followed him. They were in an empty auditorium. The boy sat in front of the piano.

"_Darling, darling, doesn't have a problem__  
Lying to herself cause her liquour's top shelf__  
It's alarming honestly how charming she can be__  
Fooling everyone, telling how she's having fun.__"_

_Whoa. He could sing_. Blaine sat, amazed at the beautiful voice.

"_She says you don't want to be like me__  
Don't wanna see all the things I've seen__  
I'm dying, I'm dying__  
She says you don't want to get this way__  
Famous, and dumb, and no age__  
My, I'm dying."_

The boy stopped when he saw him. Blaine stood up and clapped. "That was amazing."

The boy smiled. Blaine's heart fluttered. "I didn't realize I had an audience." The boy said. "It's usually empty this time of day."

"Are you in glee club?" Blaine asked.

The boy shook his head. "I used to be. But I have to work, so I gave it up."

Blaine was disappointed. "Oh, but maybe we can hang out some time. You know, when you're not working."

"Maybe. I'd like that. I'm Kurt, by the way. Kurt Hummel."

"Blaine. Blaine Anderson."

"Well Blaine Anderson, it was nice meeting you. I've better get to class. See you."

"Yeah, see you." Blaine said softly.

Blaine couldn't get Kurt out of his mind. There was something about him that just intrigued him. And that voice…

Finally, after school ended, Blaine found the choir room. He was a bit nervous. Blaine knew he had talent, he just hoped the New Directions thought that as well. Blaine _needed_ to sing. And he needed to be a part of a group. He was devastated when he found out he had to leave the Warblers. The New Directions was the only choice he had now.

He waited as the rest of the group filed in. Finn flashed him a smile, and Rachel threw him a suspicious glare. The others looked up curiously. Then Mr. Shuester came in. Blaine had already met him, during his Spanish class with him; he seemed like a nice enough guy, was pleased to hear that Blaine wanted to join glee club.

"Guys, we have a new student here that wants to audition today." Mr. Shuster announced. "This is Blaine Anderson. Do you have a song prepared for us today, Blaine?"

Blaine nodded. He began to sing, and was pleased to see everyone, including Rachel, looking impressed. She even cheered when he was done.

"Well, I think we have our newest member!" Mr. Shuester said as everyone applauded.

After rehearsal, the group introduced themselves to Blaine. Rachel was beginning to warm up to him. "We needed someone like you, dude." Finn said as he clapped Blaine's shoulder. The rest of the group nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, we needed one more person who could actually sing." Mercedes said.

Blaine remembered Kurt. "To replace Kurt, right?"

Mercedes frowned. "You met Kurt?"

"Yeah, why? Is something wrong with him?" Blaine asked.

"You probably shouldn't hang around Kurt too much." Quinn said. "Quinn…" Finn says warningly.

"Kurt used to be my best friend. But he's changed. And he abandoned us. We just don't want him dragging you down with him." Mercedes told him.

"I don't understand… What?" Blaine was confused. What was wrong with Kurt?

Puck glared at Mercedes and Quinn. "No, it was guys that abandoned him!" Shooting one last glare at them, Puck stormed off, punching a locker.

"There is nothing wrong with Kurt." Finn said, giving the rest of the group a hurt look. "If you want to be friends with him, that's fine by me." Then Finn left as well.

"I have to go wait outside for my brother." Blaine mumbled, as he rushed out after Finn.

"Wait!" Blaine shouted after Finn. Finn turns around.

Blaine was confused. Kurt seemed so nice. Why did the New Directions, besides Puck and Finn dislike Kurt so much?

Finn seemed to guess Blaine's question. "Look, I can't talk too much about what's going on. It's Kurt's business if he wants to tell you. But he needs more friends; people that he can talk to, besides us. But I can't tell you more than that. I'm sorry."

"He's going to find out anyway. It's not like the whole school doesn't know." Puck said as he walked up to them. Blaine could smell alcohol on his breath.

"I don't know, Puck…" Finn replied.

Puck rolled his eyes. "Kurt's a prostitute."

"What?"

"You heard me. He fucks for money."

Blaine sputtered. "You're joking, right?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?"

"Why doesn't anyone try to stop him? Isn't that dangerous?"

"I've tried." Finn muttered.

Puck snorted. "This school's a joke. Most of the teachers either, don't care or are completely oblivious. Mr. Shue falls under that category."

"But what about his parents?" Who would let their child do this?

"His mom's dead, and his dad's in a coma because of a heart attack." Puck replied. "He had to get the bills paid somehow, or child services would come and take him away. Believe me, I've been there." Puck muttered cynically.

Finn glared at Puck. "Look, I don't agree with what Kurt's doing either, and I've tried to get him to let me help. But Kurt's one of those people that doesn't let anyone help him. All I can do is be there for him. That's all I ask that you do too."

Cooper's car pulled up. He tried to ignore Finn and Puck's stares, as he steps into the car, his mind reeling from this new information.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As they left the school Cooper turned to Blaine, raising an eyebrow. "What's up kiddo?"

Blaine frowned. He remembered a time when he didn't tell Cooper anything; that was when he still resented him for leaving. But Cooper was here now, and he wasn't going anywhere.

So Blaine told him everything. About Kurt. About the glee club. About his _profession_. And everything that Puck told him. Blaine just couldn't understand why someone would do something like that. Just sell their body like it's nothing. And even so, and even though Blaine spoke to Kurt for less than a minute, he still felt something for him.

Cooper looked lost in thought for a moment. Then he said, "I know this great coffee place."

* * *

Blaine sipped his coffee. He looked at Cooper questioningly. Cooper sighed. "I used to be a porn star."

Blaine spat out his coffee. The girl at the next table shot him a dirty look.

"W-what?"

"L.A. is expensive! My tiny one room apartment cost over $900. I went there with almost no money, no job experience, and no degree. I had to do something to feed myself."

Blaine's head was spinning. He felt a little sick too. "What about mom and dad? Couldn't you just have asked them for money?"

Cooper shook his head. "You know how they felt about my decision about being an actor. They gave a little money after graduation and that was it. They weren't going to help in anyway. I guess it was their way of trying to teach me a lesson. But I was young, and I didn't want to give up my dream just yet. Not for them. So I did what I had to do."

"Cooper…" Blaine had a thought. "Was it with men or women?" Blaine knew for a fact that Cooper wasn't in the least bit gay. But would he?

Cooper winced. "At first it was with women. Then I quickly realized I would be paid a whole lot more if I did gay porn. A_ whole _lot more." Cooper emphasized.

Blaine looked like he was about to cry. "Hey, come on now, Blaine. It wasn't as if I was raped or something. It was completely consensual." Cooper assured Blaine.

When Blaine still looked like a kicked puppy, "Listen, the only reason I telling you this is because I know a bit of what your friend is going through. I know what it's like to be so in deep in money troubles that you'd do _anything_. You don't understand what that's like, and I don't ever want you to. And if he's anything like me, he's not going to let anyone help him. All your friend needs is someone to be there for him, and not judge him. It's the one thing I never had."

As an afterthought Cooper added, "Just don't try to look me up on the internet. My hair was horrible back then."

The drive the rest of the way home was quiet. Blaine just didn't know what to say. Both Cooper and Kurt were worth so much more than what they did. He couldn't ever imagine giving away something so special for a few dollars. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that someone could be so desperate to do _that_.

Blaine's parents had died a little over five months ago, killed in a car crash. They were never close, especially after he came out to them, but he knew that in their own way, they loved him. They babied him, definitely. Gave him everything that he wanted.

When they died, Cooper dropped everything in LA and came to live with Blaine in Lima. He had managed to get a job as a music teacher at the local elementary school. Cooper and Blaine inherited their parent's house in Lima, which helped them save a lot of money.

His parents were well off, but both brothers found out about the huge gambling debt their father had raised. Cooper and Blaine weren't poor in any means, but they had to be thriftier than Blaine was used to. Eventually they realized they couldn't afford Dalton anymore, if they still wanted to live comfortably.

But Blaine could deal with going to a new school. He would make new friends. It was Cooper that sacrificed everything to come take care of him. Cooper had a life in LA, he was becoming successful. He left all of that for him.

As Cooper drove him to school the next day, Blaine squeezed his hand. With that gesture, he told Cooper, he accepted him, including his past. Cooper looked grateful.

Then, as he walked to the entrance, someone grabbed him.

Blaine spun around and saw a group of jocks smirking at him. "Hey new fag, we didn't get to give you your welcome present yesterday. Why don't we give it to you now!" Blaine closed his eyes. He had forgotten that this sort of thing happened at public school. The bigger boy dragged him to the dumpster. Blaine cringed as he realized what was going to happen.

"Hey!" Someone called out. "Leave him alone." Blaine turned and saw Kurt. The jock's eyes widened, and he dropped Blaine. The group scattered.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked as he straightened out Blaine's cardigan. Blaine nodded, too confused for words. Those guys seemed _afraid_ of Kurt.

"Sorry about them. They're jerks. They didn't hurt you, right?" Kurt looked satisfied when Blaine nodded. Well I'd better go."

Kurt walked off, leaving Blaine thoroughly confused.

* * *

Blaine waited until lunch, and then headed off to the auditorium, where, sure enough, Kurt was practicing. Blaine headed softly to the stage and sat next to Kurt.

Blaine replayed in his mind what Cooper told him yesterday, about Kurt needing someone that wouldn't judge. He decided to try and be Kurt's friend. But he couldn't accept that what Kurt was doing was his only option. He just wanted to understand. And eventually the other boy would let him help.

"You really do have an amazing voice." Blaine said, after Kurt sang his last verse.

"Why thank you." Kurt smiled at him. "It's something that I've been working on."

_That smile_. Everything Blaine might have had planned to say to Kurt disappeared from his brain.

"Are you sure there's no way you can return to glee? I-I mean it's really a shame to not use that voice to perform in public. If the Warblers had someone like you in the group, then we—I mean they would win every competition. I'm sure the New Directions would too. And you could let someone help you, and you can join again…" Blaine rambled.

"Puck told me he told you why I can't be in glee anymore." Kurt interrupted Blaine's rambling. Blaine reluctantly nodded.

"Then you know what my priorities are." Kurt turned to leave. "Besides, even if I did want to join back in, they wouldn't want me."

Blaine groaned. He was going about this all wrong. He was doing the exact thing that Cooper told him not to. "Wait. You don't have to go. I just wanted to talk. To get to know you! I'm sorry."

Kurt hesitated. "Please," Blaine implored. "I just want to be your friend."

Kurt sighed, and walked back towards Blaine. "Sorry. I just already have enough with Finn trying to "help" me. I'm not going to stop. I have to do this."

"I know, and don't take this the wrong way… but why? Can't you just get a regular job? I'm not trying to stop you, I'm just curious."

"I've tried that… but it's not enough. My dad's in the hospital, and while he's there, there's no one running his tire shop. The business was already in trouble before he had his heart attack. Greg, my dad's best friend, watches the store while I'm at school, but I can't make him run the place for me. I can barely pay him enough as it is.

"And then the hospital bills kept piling on, and Carole, Finn's mom, had pretty much abandoned me—not that she had any responsibility over me, but I was alone. And sometimes the store needed a replacement part and there wasn't enough money to buy it."

Kurt sighed. "No one was going to hire a kid to work after dark. So that's where my second job came in. The shop… that was my dad's life. And if he ever woke up, and found that his business, his home, and his kid were all gone, that would be enough to give him a second heart attack. It's just…he's always been a great father; I've got to take care of things for him. I owe him that much." Blaine suspected that Kurt didn't say much of this to anyone.

"Wow." Blaine said, not knowing what else to say. "But- but what about family, or a teacher, or another adult? Surely _someone_ noticed what you're going through, I mean you're living alone, for crying out loud! You're just a kid!"

"I don't really have any other family; everyone else just thinks I'm staying with a friend. And I usually do. Puck tries to help a lot. I stay with him sometimes. But I can't let anything help me financially. I can't be anyone else's burden."

Blaine frowned. But someone should help, he thought to himself. At least Cooper was over eighteen when he started doing…what he did. But Kurt was just a kid. Didn't anyone care?

"I'm fine, really." Kurt tried to assure Blaine. "I do what I have to do. It's just another job. It's just sex; nothing I can't handle. Really. Can we change the subject now? Please?"

Blaine shook his head and sighed, feeling helpless. Then he relented. "Okay. Say, why were those jocks afraid of you? I mean, no offence, but you aren't exactly intimidating." He motioned to Kurt's thin frame.

Kurt laughed. "That," he replied, "is a _really_ long story. But you know, I'm gay."

"Yes, I suspected…" Blaine said, not knowing what that had to do with anything.

"Well, they would make my life a living hell because of that. And they just got worse when my dad ended up in the hospital. So I had to get them to stop. It was them or me, you know? So I chose me, and I made them stop." Kurt grinned.

"But _how_?" Blaine asked again, as the bell signaling the end of lunch, rang.

Kurt smiled mysteriously. "A whole lot of blackmail. Puck's a genius at that. I'd say it worked. I'll tell you about it one day." Kurt winked at him before he turned and left.

...'Who the hell was this guy?' Blaine thought.


End file.
